I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 195 together.
Providers of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) are responsible for content and development of their programmes. Providers must have regard to the Criteria and Guidelines published by the Teaching Council, the statutory body with responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession. All ITE Programmes are subject to ongoing review by the Council in accordance with the Criteria. It is the aim of the Council that teachers are competent to teach in the different teaching environments and are prepared to be lifelong learners continually adapting to enable them to support their students in achieving their full potential. Graduates from primary ITE Bachelor of Education courses are recognised to teach in all primary schools.
Policy on the programmes, interventions and supports for children in education is a matter for my Department. Decisions in this regard are informed by evidence based research and advices received covering a range of matters including pedagogy, school curriculum, special educational needs and child development. The role of the SESS is to attend to the training needs of teachers on foot of these decisions. In selecting and developing suitable programmes, the service is guided by advices from my Department, aegis bodies of the Department where appropriate, relevant research and best practice.
The SESS has developed the Contemporary Applied Behaviour Analysis (C-ABA) Course under the direction of Dr Patsy Daly. This course provides an introduction to ABA for practising teachers in special education settings in Irish schools. The course trains teachers to 'design, implement and evaluate' interventions to change the behaviour of students in their care. My Department is satisfied that research does not support the exclusive usage of any one approach as a basis for national educational provision for children with autism. It is for this reason that the preferred policy is for a child centred approach based on the individual child's needs. It is important that children have access to a range of approaches so that their broader needs can be met. While ABA helps to improve behaviour, other approaches, such as Treatment and Education of Autistic Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS) are just as important in developing children's communication and speech skills.
